39. The Lost Cause
I f Wooju’s brother is a lost cause, and their parents are dead because of Wooju himself, then what does that make him?
After the revelation, Woohyun’s demeanor seems relaxed, as though their prior conversation never occurred. The man casually makes his way to the kitchen, pulls out a carton of eggs from the fridge, adds oil to the nonstick skillet, and cracks two of the eggs into it.
Wooju trails behind his brother, his footsteps barely audible on the white tiled floor. The only thing breaking the silence is the sound of eggs sputtering in scorching oil.
While his brother observes them, Wooju positions himself behind the taller man, his breath quickening and his gaze wavering on the ominous form before him as thoughts of homicide gnaw at his brain.
What if? he wonders and swallows hard, trying to quell the torrent of panic, rage, grief, and malice swirling within him. What if I had it all wrong?
Wooju pulls the sharpest knife out of the stainless utensil rack and gradually lowers his arm. He clutches the knife so tightly that his knuckles turn as white as marble.
What if erasing my brother from this timeline is the key to saving Yunho’s and everyone else’s life?
“Hyung,” Wooju starts, striding forward deliberately as a lone tear falls on his cheek, “why didn’t you just kill me, too, when you found out I survived?”
No, this is wrong. He’s my brother.
“Oh, Wooju. What did I tell you about calling me hyung?” Woohyun crosses his arms. “It’s Jaehee now.”
But am I still his brother?
“Jaehee?” Wooju’s voice quivers.
If only he had ended my life earlier, then none of this would’ve happened. I wouldn’t be standing here, knife in hand, facing him. Does he want me to live in misery so badly?
“And if I don’t want to?” Wooju asks. He’s already a few paces away from his older brother. One more step and he’ll have his chance. Or it will be the end of him.
Is this what he’s been wanting all this time?
Trembling and desperate, Wooju hoists the knife high above his head, only for his heart to sink the second his gaze meets Woohyun’s menacing eyes.
For me to turn into someone just like him?
“Then I’ll make you regret it.” A sly grin spreads across Woohyun’s face as the scent of burnt eggs fills the air.
“What?”
Woohyun casually glances at the knife in Wooju’s hand. There’s a disturbing glimmer in his eyes, Wooju notices—as if witnessing the conflicted Wooju being torn between killing a monster or keeping that stupid piece of sanity intact is as amusing to him as killing their mother.
“Do it,” Woohyun goads, his voice sharp. “Kill me.”
He leans in close, grazing Wooju’s ear with his lips as he whispers, “If you do, then she was wrong about you. You’re not an angel, Wooju. You’re not better than me because you are just like me. You’ve always been a lost cause.”
Wooju flinches.
Suddenly, Woohyun grabs a hold of the knife wrapped in Wooju’s hand. “I’ll help you see for yourself, hm?” He nods once and takes control of his brother’s hand, forcing Wooju to thrust the knife into his abdomen.
Woohyun’s face crumples in pain, but not for long. The following second, he’s already snickering under his breath, with blood dripping from his mouth, staining his teeth.
Wooju lets out a small gasp, withdrawing a few steps back as he frantically leaves the knife lodged in his brother’s stomach.
Woohyun’s laughter ripples through the room, muffling any hints of pain as he nonchalantly pulls the blade out of his own flesh. “See what you did? You finally showed your true colors,” he says, pressing his other hand against the wound to staunch the bleeding. Then, step by step, he edges toward Wooju, the knife poised in his right hand.
Wooju takes another hesitant step backward, his eyes widening and legs weakening as a chill travels through him, consuming almost all of him.
“What? Scared? After what you’ve just done?” Woohyun saunters, taking his time as he approaches.
After catching a glimpse of Wooju, frozen on the spot like a mouse caught in a maze, Woohyun hastens his pace, closing the gap between them in a heartbeat. And with a twisted smirk, he plunges the very blade that wounded him into Wooju’s defenseless form.
As the blade sinks deeper into his belly, Wooju releases a guttural cry. “W-why?” is all he manages to say.
“Should I save you again,” Woohyun mutters before pushing Wooju to the ground and flinging the knife out of his grasp, “or should I let you bleed to death?”
Wooju thinks the answer to Woohyun’s question is easy. Just let him bleed to death. Maybe then, this will all end. But then he remembers the people Woohyun has already killed and the ones Woohyun will kill in the future.
Even if Wooju dies now, as long as his brother lives, no one is truly saved.
“Oh no, Wooju. This is your fault. You hurt me first.” Woohyun tousles his hair with his fingers, leaving traces of blood on the strands. “You started it, and I was only defending myself. I’ll tell them that, okay? I’ll tell them you killed this poor girl because you were jealous of her and that you fucking stabbed me because I tried to stop you.”
For a moment, Wooju doesn’t move. He lies supine on the floor, feeling hopeless, vulnerable, and broken as he drowns in his own blood. His breathing sounds desperate, but he’s taking in enough air to stay conscious. Enough for him to linger until Woohyun’s focus shifts away from him. Enough to allow himself the opportunity to mend this demented situation. Maybe that’s why the doe kept sending him back in time. Maybe it’s not about saving Yunho but about opening his eyes to the truth instead. He may be the only one capable of stopping his brother from killing more people, the only one who can save them all.
Tears well up in Wooju’s eyes as he allows himself to be consumed by the bittersweet memories of their past.
What do I do, eomma, appa?
Eventually, Woohyun turns his back on Wooju. He fishes his phone out of his pocket and dials a number. Wooju can’t hear what he’s saying, but it must be about the dead body.
Moments later, Wooju manages to summon the last of his strength. He rises to his feet, unsteady but determined, and grabs a large pair of scissors from a nearby table.
From this point forward, Wooju forces his mind to go blank. He takes a deep breath and lunges toward his unsuspecting brother, and, without the slightest bit of hesitation, drives the sharp scissors into Woohyun’s neck.
Even as blood splatters across his face, Wooju remains motionless. He simply listens to his older brother’s gasps as the taller man chokes on his own blood and collapses against the tile-clad counter, knocking over the used bottle of oil as he falls. Flames instantly erupt from the stovetop.